Friday, November 02, 2007

Friday Morning Rundown

You guys are awesome! We're up to 10 contributions for Rick Noriega, 20 contributions for Larry LaRocco, and 29 contributions for Andrew Rice! Can we get just one more contribution for Andrew Rice today to make it an even 30? (Heck, can we get just one more contribution for all three? Pretty please!)

Colorado: One of the jobs of the DSCC, NRSC, and state Parties is, of course, to recruit candidates. The "establishment" may even favor one candidate over another in a primary. For instance, in New Hampshire, it's pretty clear that popular former Governor Jeanne Shaheen is the preferred candidate over Professor Jay Buckey. Also, in Oregon, Speaker Jeff Merkley seems to be the preferred candidate of the "establishment" over activist Steve Novick. That's not to say that there aren't members of the establishment who support Buckey or Novick or that Shaheen and Merkley aren't able to effectively reach out to the grassroots and netroots. Far from it. My point? I have never, ever seen so brazen a slam at a candidate by his own Party's leader as Backwards Bob Schaffer's Boss Dick Wadhams offers at County Commissioner Wayne Wolf:

"We already have a de facto nominee, and I've told that to Commissioner Wolf," said GOP party chairman Dick Wadhams, referring to former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer. "Until someone shows me that they have as credible a campaign as Bob Schaffer, we only have one candidate."

Wanting a political future, Commissioner Wolf will most likely play nice; but, jeez, is Wadhams kidding me? He's like an overbearing parent who yells at the neighbor's kid for shoving too hard in touch football or something. I suppose that's to be expected from George Macaca Allen's old Boss.

Kentucky: Mitch McConnell is taking quite a bit of heat over hooking up with $25 million in earmarks big campaign donors who also happen to be in a bit of trouble for allegedly bribing a whole bunch of people and also under investigation by the Department of Justice and facing an audit by the Department of Defense. Is it too incendiary to call Mitch McConnell a whore ("3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.")?

MAHER: [overlapping] Who do you think was a better president: Bill Clinton or George W. Bush? [laughter]BAILEY HUTCHISON: Well, that’s not a fair question. [laughter] As you know. [applause]MAHER: It’s not?BAILEY HUTCHISON: You didn’t intend for it to be a fair question, I’m sure. But, of course—MAHER: Well, why isn’t that – why isn’t that fair? [laughter]BAILEY HUTCHISON: Well, because….I’m Republican. [laughter]

Neal, while Mark Warner and Jeanne Shaheen have clear paths to the Senate, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't have a (D) next to their name who thinks that New Mexico, even with Tom Udall, and Colorado won't be toss-up races, at least this far out.

The reason why I would give Tom Udall an advantage in New Mexico is because New Mexico- based on the demographics is a Democratic leaning state and Udall not only represents 1/3 of the state like Pearce and Wilson but he also won statewide office in the past. Looking at Udall's Congressional race- He has won with 70% in NM-3. . In a matchup against Pearce- the conservative Republican candidate- Pearce did not get more than 60% of the vote in any of his Congressional races. Udall's base in Democratic NM-3 is stronger than Pearce/Wilson base in Republican NM-2. The key district NM-1(Wilson's District). Pearce loses NM-1 handily. Wilson who almost lost her seat in 2006 is likely to lose in NM-1 in 2008.